Source of Uniform-Sized Liquid Droplets

A method useful in the production of streams of uniform-sized liquid droplets, which are uniformly spaced relative to one another, is discussed. An extension of the method which is useful for the production of single droplets of known size is also given. The method is based on the principle that a cylinder of liquid is dynamically unstable under the action of surface tension. A capillary wave is launched onto a cylinder of liquid or jet which selects a particular mode of instability. The process of the disintegration of the jet is thereby regularized to the extent that extremely uniform droplets result. The size of the droplets is controlled by the inside diameter of the capillary tube through which the liquid flows, and therefore, the size can be varied over wide limits. By charging individual droplets and using electrostatic means to deflect them out of the stream, individual droplets can be isolated.